HYDERABAD: All the paddy produced during Yasangi (Rabi) season will be procured by the State government through 6,408 purchasing centres, as it was done during the intense COVID-19 pandemic last year. Purchasing centres will operate in villages this year as well.
For purchasing the entire Rabi paddy, the State government will give a counter guarantee to the Civil Supplies Corporation for taking a loan of Rs 20,000 crore. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao took a decision to this effect at a review at Pragathi Bhavan on Monday.
The State’s farmers raised paddy in 52.67 lakh acres this Rabi. The anticipated production is 1.17 crore tonnes of coarse paddy and 21 lakh tonnes of fine variety paddy. The CM directed Principal Finance Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao to make arrangements by Tuesday for the loan counter guarantee.
IKP and PACs to run centres
Of the 6,408 centres, 2,131 centres would be run by IKP and 3,964 centres would be opened by Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies. Rao appealed to farmers to bring paddy with not more than 17 per cent moisture content and without dust and wastage.
He asked them to follow all guidelines to get MSP. The Chief Minister also directed the officials to ready around 20 crore gunny bags required for the paddy purchases.
Cotton in Kharif
Stating that cotton produced in the State would have high quality, the CM asked farmers to raise cotton in 75- 80 lakh acres in the ensuing Kharif season. Red gram should be raised in 20-25 lakh acres. Rao also suggested to focus on groundnut and oil palm.